The concentrated solar power has not progressed much in India. Of the seven plants allocated by the government in 2011, only three plants, of total 200 MW capacity, have been commissioned. Solar thermal applications like water heating, industrial applications and space heating and cooling has also not taken off in the large scale, as one would expect given the immense potential of these applications. To discuss all these issues and explore ways to scale up these technologies, we are organizing this one day conference will all concerned stakeholders.

Centre for Science and Environment and What Next seeks to bring together a group of experts from a wide range of backgrounds to further elaborate and develop the idea of a global support programme with a particular focus on globally funded renewable energy feed-in tariffs.

Coal is an environmentalist’s bugbear. The use of coal to generate energy is the key reason the world is looking at a catastrophic future because of climate change. Recognising this, global civil society has given a rousing call for coal divestment, asking companies, universities and individuals to stop investment in coal thermal power plants. They want coal to go, renewables to be in. And in the interim, clean gas, also a fossil fuel, to be used as a “bridge fuel”. In this scenario any talk of “cleaning” coal to make it less damaging is untenable.

New Delhi based think-tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) discussed the role mini-grids have to play to eradicate energy poverty in the country and proposed a model to ensure at least 12 hours of electricity to every household per day at a workshop on “Sustainable Mini-Grid for Energy Access” in Pune

Australia is a coal country. It is big business—miners are important in politics and black gold exports dominate the country’s finances. But dirty and polluting coal evokes emotions in environmentally concerned people. Coal-based power provides 40 per cent of the world’s electricity and emits one-third of global carbon dioxide, which is pushing the world to climate change.